German Published Patent Application No. 10 2004 058 809 discloses a hand-held power tool, configured as a cordless screwdriver, that has as a drive unit an electric drive motor that drives, via a multi-stage planetary gearbox, a tool receptacle rotatably mounted in the housing for reception of a tool.
The planetary gearbox steps down the comparatively high motor rotation speed into a working spindle rotation speed range that is useful for the application. Planetary gearboxes of this kind are typically embodied with two gear ratios, which allow a selection between a slower rotational speed with high torque, and a higher rotational speed with lower torque. Switching between the gear ratios is accomplished with the aid of a slide switch that is displaced manually in an axial direction and thereby shifts a switching ring gear between a locked position fixed with respect to the housing and an unlocked position; in the unlocked position, the switching ring gear is rotationally connected to a first-stage planet carrier of the planetary gearbox, and circulates together with the planet carrier. In the locked position fixed with respect to the housing, on the other hand, the switching ring gear and the first-stage planet carrier are out of engagement, and at the same time the switching ring gear is rotationally coupled to planet wheels of a second-stage planet carrier.